The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-07-02

ye keep along the trail thar to the left of the mesa, and nigh on three mile, yell strike Dutch Pete's ranch, an he's all fixed up to take folks in am give lem a squar meal an shake down. It's right over them trees wonder, whar ye sec" Here he was interrupted.
 Fanny Carroll, who had been inside the house, suddenly came out and stood on the piazza.
 "Oh, MT. Boyle," she cried, "do not let any one be turned away from these doors. These poor men are weary and footsore. They must not be compelled to go further. Let us give them shelter and supper and good nights rest"
 She made beautiful picture as she stood there in graceful attitude, with heightened color, eyes sparkling, rosy lips slightly apart. Uncle Jim's face relaxed in an instant, and the effect of this lovely apparition upon the two wanderers was marvellous. Beaver Dam Bill took off his shabby hat, shuffled his feet and made an attempt to stammer out his thanks; and Mus tang Nose, turning to look at the ex- quisite young girl, showed his aston- ishment and interest by complete change of countenance. Never in all his life of vicissitude, and worse than vicissitude, had any one seen on his face such an expression of surprise, then of almost wondering delight; and natural enough, to be sure; for never in all this same life had he seen such a sight, much less heard pity for him expressed in such gentle, dulcet tones.
 "Waal," said Uncle Jim, "that set ties it. I allow the young lady's boss. Here, you pig tailed Chinaman, show these men place where they can wash the dust of Colordydo off of lem and give 'em some grub"
 An Fong obeyed with curious re- luctance, and the two men followed him, more than once turning to look over their shoulders.
 Then came supper and some pleasant evening hours on the piazza under the bright stars and in the soft air. The two strangers had supped heartily, and now sat by themselves at some distance from the rest of the party. When Fanny Carroll sang in her lovely and welltrained voice, Mustang Nose took the pipe from his mouth, and let it go out as he held it in his hand. When most of the inmates of the house had retired, Uncle Jim told An Fong to take the two men to a cham Der at the head of a small stairway leading from the main room of the ranch. The boy obeyed, and then re- turned to this main room, in which, on the wide hearth, burned cheerful fire of logs. He approached the stall wart frontiersman, who sat before the fire gazing into it's blazing depths.
 "Master," said An Fong, "he t'luly blong lallee-loon man. Mi hear he talkee. (They are really robbers. I heard them talk.)"
 Uncle Jim looked at him gravely.
 "Ah Fong, or whatever your blamed heather name is," said he, "I didn't never think I'd come to say it to Chinee, but I wouldn't be sur- prised eff yer head was level. Now skip to bed, and I'll stop right here. Skip, say :"
 An Fong went out, closing the door behind him, but he proceeded no farther than the passage, where he crouched ill corner, quietae T mouse
 In the solitude in whicl, much of Uncle Jim's life was passed, he had formed habit of talking to himself, as An Fong could now hear him.
 "Knowed me, did he? Perhaps he did, and perhaps he didn't. But could sw'ar I'd seen the mean little cuss before. Wonder whar it was? Could he have been one of them cusses we bounced out of the old town to Pueblo? Or in the crowd that tried to jump Tom Carroll's mine? Or in thet thar outfit we was after for steal in mules up to Fairplay? Waal, disremember." He sat silent for some time. then suddenly started and struck his knee with his hand. "l've got him." he said. "Why OH airth didn't catch on before? It's the feller thet we cotched with aces in his sleeve up to Bill Larned's ranch, the winter of the big w-storm. An heerd next year thet he was in with the gang thet stopped the Fairplay stage. He don't mean no good in this we're place, he an that unrighteous-lookin' pard of his'n, and they're two to one. I allow I'd ought to be well heeled an all ready for 'em, ii they is up to any little games"
 He drew large revolver from be- hind his hip, reloaded and capped it, making every motion with marked deliberation; then, taking piece of cord from his pocket, he bound the trigger to the rear of the guard. He laid the formidable weapon on chair by his side, then lighted an old pipe and began smoking. Thus. through